This invention relates to an apparatus for regulating a torque transmission system, such as a clutch or a friction clutch, a magnetic powder clutch or a torque converter lockup clutch, with a transmission having a gearshift mechanism and actuating means provided to shift the transmission into different gears as well as adjusting means provided at the transmission and connected with the actuating means, and a central control unit which receives and processes system parameters and measurement signals transmitted by sensors and controls or adjusts the regulation for the torque transmission system by way of an actuator or actor in dependency upon the operating point.
The invention further relates to a method for regulating a torque transmission system by way of a control unit and an actuator.
Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for identifying and/or ascertaining and/or evaluating the positions or movements of adjusting means and/or actuating means, such as, e.g., shifting levers or selector shafts for the shifting of a transmission or a corresponding equipment, which are utilized for the practice of the novel method for controlling or regulating an automated friction clutch.
In connection with methods and/or apparatus of the above outlined character, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,144,424, 4,183,424, 3,631,946, 3,741,035, 5,038,901 and 3,723,642 already disclose that, for the purposes of shifting intent recognition and hence for the recognition of the intended movement of a gear shift lever or an actuating means, one employs switches which, in the event of the application to the shifting lever of a force which is necessary to set the lever in motion, transmit a signal to the control system which is connected to their outputs. The aforementioned U.S. patents further disclose that, for the purposes of identifying the selected transmission gear or of identifying the position of a gear shift lever or actuating means, one utilizes switches which are activated in the respective end positions of the switching range. Still further, the aforementioned U.S. patents also disclose the utilization of potentiometers for the purpose of identifying an end position of an actuating means, such as a gear shift lever.
Furthermore, WO-OS 9111 638 discloses an apparatus wherein a gear position sensor is employed to distinguish between groups of gear shift positions.